Nice first ride in the COLD.

 

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It's my first time commuting to work by bike in almost 3 weeks. 

I think everyone on Milwaukee and Chicago forgot about the existence of bikes. No one was leavin any room, or using turn signals, or looking before pulling from parking to traffic. To top it all off, I almost got hit when I got off my bike crossing the street at superior and st Claire because Mr. Suit and Black SUV couldn't be bothered to look up from his cell phone Long enough to not blow the stop sign while I was in the crosswalk. He missed me, but I was pretty glad I hadn't taken my helmet off quite yet.

With the wind, as in life, what goes around comes around.  Nasty headwind southbound this morning.  And although the weather channel said it was only 8 mph, the wind on the lake was 15 gusting to 18. :-(

Agreed, you earn each tailwind fighting through some rough headwinds. But I wouldn't mind if yesterday's tailwind going south came around a little more frequently before I ditch the path for Lincoln.

I prefer a headwind on the lake to a street like Lincoln with all the red lights, six way intersections and shoalers.  Better view, too.

I did, but I almost didn't!  Dark clouds and thunder prompted me to wimp out and ask my husband to drive me downtown, figuring I could ride Divvy home.  Took 1/2 hour to get from harbor to Belmont on LSD!  I could have been to work by then!    And the worst of the dark clouds and the thunder had gone.  So we went back, I got on my bike and rode in!  Nice ride home, too.

I started out but turned around while still in Evanston. It was starting to rain, and there was lightning all around. Decided thata coward lives to ride another day. :-)

You might want to try reducing your tire pressures to something like 90psi.  160 is really high, I think only track riders regularly use tire pressures in that range.

Michael Perez said:

I rode today and boy did I get drenched today around 6:30 a.m this morning. I was riding at 160 psi and felt everything and kept on sliding all over the place. I think its time i change that thickslick i have to a more wet weather friendly tire.

Check your rim tape? Maybe you should get different tires?

Michael Perez said:

Everytime I go low, i always get a pinch flat for some reason and ever since I started riding on higher pressure, I ride fine but except on wet weather. My front tire requires 130 but my back one is so and so on 110. Nothing popped today but I will let air out.

S said:

You might want to try reducing your tire pressures to something like 90psi.  160 is really high, I think only track riders regularly use tire pressures in that range.

Michael Perez said:

I rode today and boy did I get drenched today around 6:30 a.m this morning. I was riding at 160 psi and felt everything and kept on sliding all over the place. I think its time i change that thickslick i have to a more wet weather friendly tire.

I've got 32 Schwalbe Marathon Pluses. They are very flat-resistent and have a bit of tread on them. I don't know if they make them in sizes smaller than 25.

Michael Perez said:

I switched from 28c to 23c in the front and 25c in the back. It feels cool in a way but I think I might invest in some armadillos or panaracer duro. What would you guys recommend? I always have bad luck with tire choosing.

Adam Herstein (5.5 mi) said:

Check your rim tape? Maybe you should get different tires?

Michael Perez said:

Everytime I go low, i always get a pinch flat for some reason and ever since I started riding on higher pressure, I ride fine but except on wet weather. My front tire requires 130 but my back one is so and so on 110. Nothing popped today but I will let air out.

S said:

You might want to try reducing your tire pressures to something like 90psi.  160 is really high, I think only track riders regularly use tire pressures in that range.

Michael Perez said:

I rode today and boy did I get drenched today around 6:30 a.m this morning. I was riding at 160 psi and felt everything and kept on sliding all over the place. I think its time i change that thickslick i have to a more wet weather friendly tire.

I'm not familiar with the Vittorias, but I did have Gatorskins and they are nice. They seem a bit less substantial than the Schwalbes — the sidewalls are a bit thinner. Definitely lighter and lower rolling resistance than the SMPs, but also a bit more slippery due to the lack of tread.

Michael Perez said:

I'll check them out since I've got a small frame and 28 barely fits. I had a pair of 28 Kenda Kwick Traxx but they lacked the Kevlar strip so I ditched them. Ive got a 23 scwalbe lugano and a 25 thickslick. I was thinking of some gatorskins but its the price that throws me off. What do you think of the vittoria randonneur pro?

Adam Herstein (5.5 mi) said:

I've got 32 Schwalbe Marathon Pluses. They are very flat-resistent and have a bit of tread on them. I don't know if they make them in sizes smaller than 25.

Michael Perez said:

I switched from 28c to 23c in the front and 25c in the back. It feels cool in a way but I think I might invest in some armadillos or panaracer duro. What would you guys recommend? I always have bad luck with tire choosing.

Adam Herstein (5.5 mi) said:

Check your rim tape? Maybe you should get different tires?

Michael Perez said:

Everytime I go low, i always get a pinch flat for some reason and ever since I started riding on higher pressure, I ride fine but except on wet weather. My front tire requires 130 but my back one is so and so on 110. Nothing popped today but I will let air out.

S said:

You might want to try reducing your tire pressures to something like 90psi.  160 is really high, I think only track riders regularly use tire pressures in that range.

Michael Perez said:

I rode today and boy did I get drenched today around 6:30 a.m this morning. I was riding at 160 psi and felt everything and kept on sliding all over the place. I think its time i change that thickslick i have to a more wet weather friendly tire.

Probably, but I rode them all winter and didn't have much problems with slipperiness.

Michael Perez said:

So for the gatorskins in other words, sharp turns in the rain will still be a bit slippery right?

Adam Herstein (5.5 mi) said:

I'm not familiar with the Vittorias, but I did have Gatorskins and they are nice. They seem a bit less substantial than the Schwalbes — the sidewalls are a bit thinner. Definitely lighter and lower rolling resistance than the SMPs, but also a bit more slippery due to the lack of tread.

Michael Perez said:

I'll check them out since I've got a small frame and 28 barely fits. I had a pair of 28 Kenda Kwick Traxx but they lacked the Kevlar strip so I ditched them. Ive got a 23 scwalbe lugano and a 25 thickslick. I was thinking of some gatorskins but its the price that throws me off. What do you think of the vittoria randonneur pro?

Adam Herstein (5.5 mi) said:

I've got 32 Schwalbe Marathon Pluses. They are very flat-resistent and have a bit of tread on them. I don't know if they make them in sizes smaller than 25.

Michael Perez said:

I switched from 28c to 23c in the front and 25c in the back. It feels cool in a way but I think I might invest in some armadillos or panaracer duro. What would you guys recommend? I always have bad luck with tire choosing.

Adam Herstein (5.5 mi) said:

Check your rim tape? Maybe you should get different tires?

Michael Perez said:

Everytime I go low, i always get a pinch flat for some reason and ever since I started riding on higher pressure, I ride fine but except on wet weather. My front tire requires 130 but my back one is so and so on 110. Nothing popped today but I will let air out.

S said:

You might want to try reducing your tire pressures to something like 90psi.  160 is really high, I think only track riders regularly use tire pressures in that range.

Michael Perez said:

I rode today and boy did I get drenched today around 6:30 a.m this morning. I was riding at 160 psi and felt everything and kept on sliding all over the place. I think its time i change that thickslick i have to a more wet weather friendly tire.

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